The Last Oath
by keyboard113
Summary: A short three-chapters story describing the last battle with Gaea, with the event of Percy sacrificing himself following it. What will Annabeth's life be like with her Seaweed Brain gone, this time forever from the world? Read and Review! WARNING: Percy's tragedy included.
1. Chapter 1: What Need To Be Done?

**AN: Hey guys! I'd planned this to be a one-shot, but apparently it got to three chapters since I wanted to describe the battle that lead to his *cough* sacrifice *cough*. I know I sounded terrible writing story like this (maybe a little like Rick too?), but others also did and I know how it feel to read those sad stories (especially when the writer is really good at describing...)**

**With this idea in my head, I put my other stories on hold and get this one done ASAP. It will mostly be Annabeth's POV, but there's some Percy's POV too at 3rd chapter.**

**If you haven't known me or my stories, you can check my profile and there will be rules on how I write stuff, including the reason my grammar is bad (I improved a little, but...)**

**Setting: Blood of Olympus; Athens, Greece**

**Disclaimer: PJO and HoO characters/plots belong to Rick Riordan, the awesomest (and evilest) author I had ever known.**

***Based on the Epilogue of "Silence", the 4th and last book of "Hush, Hush" series.***

* * *

"So... how has school been?", Reyna asked me, trying but failed to look straight at my eyes.

"Good", I replied, like if school would feel _anything_ good. Not without him, anyway.

"You sure?", Reyna eyed the apple on the table and picked it up, examined it like the thing contains invisible poison. "I asked Frank to check you at your school, and his reports doesn't included any word relates to happiness."

"You _what_?", I asked incredulously, staring back at her with dagger eyes. How dare she _spy_ on me...?

"Sorry, we were worry sick about you", she admitted, then turned to me and gave a slight smile. "You know, maybe you will need someone to talk to, or to prevent you from releasing all that feeling to some poor mortals."

I tried to laugh, but it came out cold and flat. Really, I'm not in the mood, and no sooner will I. "Come on, Reyna", I punched her lightly on the arm. "I'm a sophomore at college now, it's not like I'm going to send someone to the hospital or something."

"Well, if you need to talk with someone, I'm always available", she said, taking a bite in the apple. "I got some work to do inside. My soldiers may be sleeping now as we talk." With that, she winked and hurried inside.

Throughout the day, people had come over to my table trying to cheer me up. Which they had all failed. The pain was too much that whenever I think about it, I thought it just happens yesterday.

Today is the three-years anniversary of the day we defeated Gaea, the goddess of the earth. Three years since the last biggest threat to Olympus has faded away to a memory. Three years since I'd lost him. Staring in the cloudless sky, I remembered vividly the picture of that day, the day I will never forget...

* * *

**-o-Fashback-o-** *3 years ago, the last battle of Gaea at Athens*

I dodged a knife thrown by someone on my far left, then instantly blocked a sword from slashing me in two with my new knife, which belonged to a dead enemy.

That's how intense the battle was. I can hardly have any seconds to take a rest or to watch my friends around me. Whenever I disintegrated a monster, a new one attack. The amount of monsters Gaea sent on this battle is triple that of Kronos's a few years back. Also, this time we're dealing with more ancient monsters from as deep as Tartarus.

After sending an Earthborn back to mud, I silently cursed as Kelli walked toward me, parting any small battles in the way. The empousai dodged and slash at nearby demigods, and after a few slashes, stand facing me.

"Daughter of Athena", she hissed, licking her lips. "I wonder if I should finish you, or torture every pieces of you so Percy can watch." Then she lunged her sword at me.

"We already beat you twice, so don't be so sure", I said, dodging the move, then sidestepped and slashed her in the shoulder. The empousai growled with pain.

"Remember, the first time you have Percy", she said, using her metal leg and unsuccessfully tried to kick me. "The second time, Bob. Both are powerful, but you _aren't_."

I sidestepped her sword again, this time it missed me by a fraction. I thought about what she said, that maybe it was true I'm still alive because of powerful individuals around me.

_No_, a voice said in my head, _you're as powerful as any heroes I had known, don't let her distract you_.

It could only be my mom.

Sending a silent thank you to Athena, I stabbed Kelli again, this time on her back. "If you want, I can show you just that", I gave her a smile, in which she returned with a growl.

A cyclop stumbled backward between us in which Kelli solved by disintegrating it. I guesses she was pissed off to the point if Gaea is actually standing in front of me, she might try to kill the goddess as well.

Speaking of the earth goddess, she hasn't show up at all in this battle. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, our oracle, have predicted something terrible at the end, which include a sacrifice and other stuff I will have nightmare about.

Yanked back to reality, Kelli was trying to stab me at incredible speed, too much fast for me to deflect in a long time. My arms were sore, my lungs demanding more air. I'd been fighting nonstop for a long time, maybe even hours. It took all of the exercises and practices we had at camp to prepare for this.

Somehow I miscalculated my timing, and that let Kelli to have some seconds kicking the short knife at my hand out in the battle field. Being weaponless, I thought of looking for it but decided that would take away precious time. Seconds were now a factor between life and death.

I dodged for the hundredth time of the day and tried to get away from the empousai, but obviously she wanted to send me to Tartarus again, and that doesn't make me feel better. But before I could work out any other strategies, a certain celestial bronze sword crossed path with Kelli's, sending the empousai to stumbled backward.

"Seem like someone need help", Percy said with his trademark smirk. "Princess, do you accept my offer for this knight in shining armor to help you?"

I held back a laugh, even though we're in a very serious battle. "Quit it, Percy", I said, pointing at Kelli, "We still have unfinished job here."

Still with the smirk, he said, "No problem", and with that, he called on his own hurricane.

The radius is so large it pulled in Kelli among with a few other monsters and me. Except that somehow he has brought me next to him at the eye of the hurricane. Suddenly it's like we were alone with no one around us except of the sound of water going hundreds miles per hour. I felt the battle vanished around me, only with echos of swords clashing and people yelling. For the first time in the day, I finally felt close to Percy, the other part of me.

"I love you", I whispered in his ear. He turn to face me, and his smile may worth a thousand diamonds at the time.

"I love you too", he said, then pulled me close.

I can felt how our pains and misery slipped away, replaced with the happiness of having someone you love close to you. I don't care about this battle or Gaea, whatever it takes for us to never get separate. Then, I realized, how selfish that has sounded of me.

I pulled away from him, knowing this is not the place and there are still more important stuff to finish. "How about let's continue this after the war is over", I suggested even though a part of me doesn't like it.

"Alright Wise Girl", he said, releasing me with a smile. "Because of that, I would try to make this battle over as soon as possible."

Stopping his hurricane, Percy stood on the ground, facing the Parthenon. The spot was a popular place for visitors flowing to Athens, and also very ancient. More likely it would be use by a certain earth goddess to sacrifice demigods' blood.

"I need to check over there", he said, his face emotionless. "Stopping Gaea might also stop this ongoing battle."

Remember the horrible thought of two demigods being sacrifice, and how the prophecy has stated "...An oath to keep with a final breath" didn't exactly reassure me. "No Percy, we would fight this battle here, and together all of us will defeat her."

"Look at the battle facing us", he pointed to a few demigods and allies. "We're already tired from fighting, and trust me, not even the best fighter can keep up for long."

Following his direction, I saw Leo using his hammer as the only weapon against a bunch of ogres around him. Once in a while he burst into flame, but the fire is flickering; it doesn't burned as bright as before. On the other side of the battle field, Frank and Hazel were fighting side by side. The ground around them was clustered with holes like small meteorites have showered the place, and later I remember Hazel's power of pulling metals from the ground. I noticed as one telekhine slashed Frank in which the son of Mars just flinched and attacked back but at a slower speed.

The sight of all these things happening and how the monsters outnumbered us show one thing: we're at a disadvantage, and any strategists can agree with that. But still...

"Believe me, Annabeth", he said, looking straight at me in the eyes. I wanted the battle to disappear, but obviously I have to end it or wait to get myself killed.

"Alright, alright", I said, trying to feel strong and pushed all the emotions back. "You still have Katoptris?"

Katoptris is Piper's first weapon, a short knife like the one I lost with Daedalus's laptop. Based on what she experienced, the knife was more than a short-range weapon. A few days ago, it has given Piper a one-second vision, too short to show many details, but enough to show what's important. In it was Katoptris being thrusted into the bark of a tree, which one and what kind, no one were sure. The thing that haunted me is the fact there's blood on the blade. Piper never actually used the knife for anything else than for vision in the future and to scare her enemies. Jason has reassured everyone it was maybe blood from an enemy in the battle, but I didn't get the feeling that was actually what will happen. And now the fact that it was clean and new inside Percy's jacket makes me want to stall him from going.

Before I can stated anymore ideas to keep Percy back, he gave me a quick kiss then called out Blackjack.

"Be back soon", he smiled, climbed on Blackjack, and with that he disappeared into the sky.

* * *

**Next chapter will be post in a couple of days, and I will finish this story before Christmas :)**

**Btw guys, check out my poll on my profile and vote on what I should write! (I have a lot of ideas...)**

**Don't forget to review also! :D**


	2. Chapter 2: A Helpess Situation

**Happy Saturday everyone! Finals and tests are finally over, and that marked the start of Christmas/New Year break! Hope you guys have a good year!**

**This chapter is not that good compare to the last and next one, but it serves well as a filler-chapter :)**

**Disclaimer: PJO/HoO characters and plots belonged to Rick Riordan. The cover picture belonged to the owners on Internet.**

* * *

The next few hours passed like a blur, since the only thing I did was killing any monsters in the way. It's not until Blackjack has come back when I realized the sun was sinking in the horizon.

"What happened?" I asked the pegasus. "Is Percy in danger?"

Even though I don't speak horse, his whine and the way his hoofs stomped the ground was enough to tell me something isn't right. And so after climbing on him, Blackjack took off immediately to the Parthenon.

Passing over the battle field, I looked below to see bodies of demigods, some trying to stand up and fight again, some laying still. I look away, horrifying by the thought that maybe I will see a familiar face down there.

Coming to a stop at the famous site of architecture, I found two thing that look a hundred times more worst than what I just saw: Gaea's face on a tree in the middle of the place, and Percy being hanged up by his hands, bleeding to his death.

I ran as fast as I can to him. The son of Poseidon was tied by his hands and feet, making it impossible for his to escape by his own. And... di immortal!, there is a hole in his left chest, soaking his shirt with blood. With this rate, he could lose too much blood and... die.

_No, he wouldn't_, I repeated myself. _He's stronger than anyone I had ever met, and I can also save him_.

But before I reach him, roots from the tree where Gaea's spirit was, shot up and tied my feet back to the ground. Despite how many attempts I gave at cutting it, more keep coming back.

"HAHAHA!", the face on the tree laughed, her voice loud enough for people ten miles away to hear. "Come on, child of Athena, save the sea pawn and end this war!"

I was securely kept at the ground, but my hands were still free. I have to use the advantage and come up with a plan really fast...

"But, you do know this war wouldn't end unless I'm awake", the goddess explained. "And for that to happen, two demigods' blood must be spill here. Now."

Knowing to not open my mouth and come up with a plan, I let the goddess continue. "And with two powerful demigods, now that's what I called a bonus!"

Laughing again, I took the moment and locked eyes with Percy. He look battered than the time he was leaving. With his head keep shaking to his right, I follow his lead and see his jacket stuck out of a pile or rocks. Along with it, Katoptris laid on the left, with... blood on it. And I'm sure there's no one around except him and Gaea.

_So this is what Percy had been trying to do_, I thought. _Sacrificing himself to save the world. How thoughtless of him!_

Using the time Gaea was distracted, I cut off the roots tying my legs, this time, they didn't come back. Rolling quietly to the pile of rocks, I picked up the knife, but this time Gaea was having her attention on me.

"The knife of Helen of Troy", she said. "You little demigods believe it can stop me if you add few little drops of blood? Hilarious!", she laughed, but there's a little of uncertainty in it.

"Well, no one have ever try it", I said, bringing the knife close to me. "This can be a good time to prove the theory". And it's true. If this doesn't work, Percy's life would be in danger, and so are all of the other demigods. But we have no choice, so I started making a sprint toward the goddess.

Using the power to control the earth, Gaea seemed to enjoy the moment playing cat-chasing-mouse with me. The roots shot up, not to tie me down, but to simply tripped me. Rocks were being thrown by invisible forces, and I barely has enough time to dodged. Risking a second looking at Percy, he has drop his head down, maybe out of tiredness, or maybe because he passed out. Hopefully this chasing game wouldn't last long, and that's why I need a plan. Fast.

Suddenly something hit me in the stomach, knocking me backward. I then realized it's a branch from Gaea's tree. _I must be close_, I thought, _I can do this_. But the hope soon died as roots began to tied me down again, this time my whole body.

"It would be wiser to give me the blade", Gaea thundered. "Nothing can get in my way..."

"What about me, lady?", a voice asked.

Turning my head, I saw Leo standing on the stone surface, looking like he just got beat up with his shirt torn in many places. He didn't have the face that tell jokes and lighten thing up; today it showed anger and resentment.

"Nobody isn't giving you anything, Dirt Face", he announced, his hands burst into flame. "And I will make sure it stays like that."

He focused on me, and shot a line of fire barely missing my stomach, cutting the lines of tree roots. Gaea, now with two opponents, and with her limited power because she's not awake yet, can't fight us both at the same time. Everytime roots wrapped around Leo, he just need to burst into fire. The perfect offense and defense.

But we're talking about a _goddess _here, and they tend to have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. Which is when instead of using plant-related stuff, Gaea make a wave of rocks shooting at Leo. He went down in an instant, as fire got nothing good against stuff like rocks.

The problem was now back to me. Before I could thrust the knife exactly in the middle of the tree, branches took both my hand and hanged me up just like Percy, except my feet is free and I still managed to hold Katoptris.

"Leo Valdez, I'd told you, nothing can get in my way and I meant it", the goddess boomed. "The Western world is doomed; demigods, the Olympians, all of it. It's time for me and my children to rule again!"

"No, you wouldn't", I said, trying to sound dangerous. I do has a plan now, but it also has a small chance of succeeding.

Focusing on the blade, I pray to every gods and goddess who expertise in wind, and drop the knife. When it reach the point of kicking length, I used my free leg to kick it straight to the tree. Surprisingly, it lodged in the bark.

For a few moment, nothing happened and I'm worried this maybe a false theory, maybe the vision was wrong. But then light came up from the blade, engulfing the tree on fire.

"NOOOOOOO!", Gaea wailed, loosen and dropping both me and Percy back to the ground. I close my eyes and turn from the goddess, thinking it would have the same effect when the Olympians show their true form.

"You have just put me into another long sleep!", she hissed. "I can, and will, come back to take over. This is not over, demigods. My plan would remain." With that, the tree turn into ashes, and Gaea was nowhere to seen.

-o-Pagebreak-o-

"Are you ok?", I asked Percy, panic rising in me. Obviously he's not okay, the bleeding has stopped but he still have a very severe injury to dealt with.

"Le... Leo... Ar... go...", he mumbled over the sound of the battle. Which hasn't end, as we expect, by stopping Gaea. It continued as more of demigods were suffering. And I understood Percy completely. He wanted me to tell Leo to start the Argo II, then transported us out of here. We're losing demigods, and no one can risk to lose more.

I told Leo what to be done, and he took off to the direction of the armored-ship. Outside of the Parthenon, the battle waged on. I see a glimpse of Jason floating on the air, but something hit him and brought him down below.

Faster than expected, I saw the Argo II in the sky, sliding through the air with impossible mechanics, but possible if it's made from Cabin 9 of Hephaestus. Before Leo parked the giant ship at clear ground, something went wrong.

The ship fall straight down.

I heard a CLANG! as metals met the ground, and I'm sure there's more stuff being damaged than armor. Running there with Percy's arm over my shoulder, I found Leo jumped off the ship's ladder, his face sweating.

"No good", he muttered. "I'm sorry, Annabeth, but the engines were damaged. It will take a few hours to fix it..." He left the thought there.

Looking back at the battle field, I reminded myself there were lives to be saved, and quickly made up my mind.

"Let's get everybody on first", I told Leo. "Then we will see."

-o-Pagebreak-o-

After getting everyone on board, which included fending off monsters while retreating, we were _temporary _safe, because sooner or later the monsters would try to climb their way on this ship to to brought it down pieces by pieces. While Leo was working on the engines, we rested and discussed our next moves to get out of this situation.

"Jason, can you carry this ship by the wind?", Piper asked.

The son of Jupiter tensed, raising his hands up. Except for the little lurching of the ship, nothing seem to move.

"Can't", he finally decided. "This thing is huge, me alone cannot bring it to the air."

I tried to think of another way, but we're out of option. Percy was still healing, thanks to the nectar, but not anytime soon. I doubted he can even walk without falling backward. I got up and checked Leo in the mechanic room, seeing if he need anything else, when the ship start lurching sideway.

"What was that?", Leo asked, holding up his tools.

I immediately raced up on board, and what I saw confirmed the thing we'd been worried around. Monsters were now surround us, and we have nowhere to go.

* * *

**Next chapter: Percy's and Annabeth's POV, also the last one :)**

**Check out my other stories on my profile, plus the poll question on what I should write next :D**

**Review guys! It really encourages me to write more and let me know there are people reading my story out there :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Dream and Reality

**Hey guys, Merry Christmas! This chapter is longer than the rest, and the last part is influenced by the _Hush, Hush_ series. Also, I think any other characters than Percabeth in this story is OOC, I am sorry! It was the last part that I focused on the most instead of the battle.**

**If you think this cruel story of Percabeth is my gift to all of you for Christmas, then no! I'm not that eeeviiilll, so please don't blame me if you think I'd written this! This just happened to be post around Christmas Eve!**

**I'm fixing my other stories, but you can check in in about a week, and I'm sure I will finish and (probably) post another chapter to "The Life of Demigods and Magicians" :)**

**Disclaimer: PJO/HoO characters/plots belonged to Rick Riordan, cover photo belonged to the owners on Internet.**

* * *

**Percy's POV**

You may be wondering why I did such thing, using my blood and all. But really, I have no other choices than to do that; after all I couldn't just get the blood from some fallen demigods. Alright, maybe I can, but it seems a little... off. And if you're asking if the experience was bad, I can only say: it's worst.

Good thing that Annabeth has saved me from there, although I know such dangers when you have to go against a goddess. I may not have wanted her to do that, but now as I surveyed the battle site, I'm actually grateful for it. Grateful for a chance to save my friends, and mostly my girlfriend, Annabeth. I couldn't stand if she... she... _died_. She still have a long way to go in life, like continue designing Olympus, for example. I don't want all of us to end here.

Glancing back outside, I saw monsters of all kinds throwing weapons and rocks at the ship, which only urged me to carry out my plan faster. Yes, I always come up with crazy plans when everyone lost hopes, and this time the plan will work out perfectly. Except that a certain son of Poseidon have to sacrifice. Last I checked, there's no one else a half-brother to me on this ship.

_Then what? Leave her alone to suffer?, _part of my mind reasoned. _You won't be doing her any favors by killing yourself._

Annabeth was like a family member to me, without her I won't be able to live anymore. I know she felt the same for me, but then I'd rather die to save everyone else than letting them all die. Which triggered the memory of my fatal flaw. Loyalty.

A long time ago, before the battle of New York with the Titans, Athena has warned me how my loyalty will someday made me sacrifice the world for it. I'd then proved her wrong as I still saved the world from the Titans and (sadly) most of my friends. Can Athena predict the future? I never know. But it seems like this time a sacrifice must be made, I die or we all do.

Fighting the balance, I don't really know how to make a decision this big, bigger than any I'd made in my life. I imagined Janus standing a few feet away from me, holding a set of keys. _Which one?,_ he asked, one hand pointing to Annabeth and my friends, the other at the battle. Maybe I'd gone mad or something, because I'm sure I did see Janus smiled before disappearing to thin air.

Annabeth has given me some nectar and I'm feeling better by the second. When she stood up and walked to the maintenance room, I made my decision. Seeing everyone, especially Annabeth, being worried made me feel responsible for not helping them when possible. The word loyalty came up in my mind again, but this time I followed its direction.

Trying to stand up, I reached for the rail to support myself. The monsters below didn't seem to be in a hurry; after all, we were the one being trapped in the middle of Greece, their homeland.

I looked back at the group of demigods, thinking maybe it's the last time to see them. All of my friends were too tired or distracted to notice me standing up, reaching for the ladder below on the side of the board. _Good_, I thought. _Better do this secretly than to let them_ _know_.

Climbing down the ladder, I reached for Riptide in my pocket and slashed at any monster in my way, making a path to a pile or crumbled building higher than the most. Glancing at the monsters, now far below, I started to carried out my plan when someone yelled my name.

"Percy!", Jason few toward me with his ability to control the wind. "What are you thinking? You could die here!"

"Which is exactly what I want", I said calmly.

He opened his mouth, trying to said something. But I think the news surprised him a little, because the next thing I knew he was trying to pull me up.

"Come on, let's go man", Jason said, making up his mind. "I don't want anything to happen, and what will I tell Annabeth?"

Freeing the grip of his hand, I took out Riptide. "Tell her I'm sorry for doing it, but it's the only way. No gods or magics would help us, unless we have a better way than dying together."

"Percy", the son of Jupiter said, trying to calm me down. "If we actually... die, we can do it together. We've came through so much, only to see you sacrificing for us? For all we know, I replace you to do the same thing."

"What about Piper?", I asked him. "Jason, I appreciated your offer, but you have a life to go on with Piper too."

He appeared to be at a lost state, which mean I had hit a spot of his, one that he has been worried over for a long time. I'm no different, but then... I also have a spot for watching my friends suffer instead of me.

"Go back, Jason", I said and realized it's a little harsh. I then held out my sword, "Otherwise, I will have to force you to."

"Alright, alright", he said, backing up before lifting himself up on the air. "We will always remember you." Before he leaves, I called out.

"Say goodbye to Annabeth for me", I said, holding back emotions from the memories of us being together. "Tell her to continue with life, so I didn't sacrifice myself for nothing."

Jason glanced back at me for a moment then took off, leaving me to wondered if this decision was better.

**Annabeth 's POV**

I surveyed the site where numerous kinds of monsters had gathered around us, trying to tip over the ship. They are making slow progress, but it was progress after all. We, on the other side, were still sitting here thinking up something.

_What should we do_, I asked myself. _What if there's actually no solution to this problem? _

"Annabeth!", Hazel yanked me out of the train of thoughts. "Percy... Percy... he..."

"He got down and already reached a small hill, the one over there", Frank pointed, where I saw two little figures. Percy and...

"Jason", Piper told us. "He spotted Percy first and went on after him."

Why did he do this? Is it one of his plan? And which one?

I breathed slowly, trying to figure how I will solved this, if I'm a daughter of Poseidon with powers like him. While rationalizing, a memory hit me. One after the explosion of Mount St. Helens.

_He has explained how the explosion was caused by him_, I thought. _Explosion, water, waves... Oh gods, tell me that wasn't what he is trying to do._

I ran toward the rail, expecting to see Jason carrying Percy back to the boat. But as part of me feared, he just flown alone, landing a few feet away from us. Jason's face looked to be in pain, not physically but emotionally.

"We need to talk", he stated flatly.

"Talk about what!?", I said, a little overreacting. "Why don't you save him?"

"He... Percy... have a plan that could save us", Jason said, then told me and the others about the meeting with the son of Poseidon. Annabeth also explained the plan Percy probably has on his mind.

"But that would be suicide!", Piper realized, covering her mouth.

"Exactly, that's why we are going to save him", I walked toward the ladder that lead us below, when Jason stand in front of it, blocking the way.

"Annabeth", he said, trying to be calm. "You know how much you are to him. And he will never let anything happen to you."

"So what?", I reasoned, this time my temper was rising. "Doesn't mean he will... he will... sacrifice for all of us!"

I pushed past him, trying to get down the ladder when the worst came. Percy started his ultimate plan that will get himself killed. Before I have any seconds to realize what happened, an explosion was heard throughout the place. The monsters below half turned to see waves of water - ocean water miles away from the shores - flooding through buildings and landscape toward the ship.

I looked for Percy, climbing down the ladder faster. When I spotted him again, he was on his knee and looking at my direction. He shook his head, as if to tell me not to do this. But who am I kidding? Percy was a part of me, a part of my life. I couldn't lose him, I just couldn't...

"Annabeth! The flood is coming!", Nico called out. "It's dangerous down there!"

Ignoring him, I climbed until reaching the ground. The monsters had long scattered, leaving the ship alone on the open field. I ran toward Percy as the waves of water came up behind him. He gave me a smile, one that should have warm my heart any other day, before the waves engulfed him.

"NOOOO!", I yelled out, running toward the water when it crashed at me and I found myself several feet under it. I opened my eyes, but the surrounding was not clear enough.

_Be well_, I heard Percy whispered, _I love you._

I turned my head around, but there was nothing to be seen except water._ No_, I thought helplessly, _Percy couldn't die. He is still alive. He is..._

Before finishing any more thoughts, I realized I was running out of breath and was going to blacking out. _Good_, I thought again, _at least I will be with Percy soon_.

With my eyes slightly opened, I saw the red sky above, this time a few stars had crept into it. Then I had a faint memory of something with claws picked me up. Before I blacked out, maybe this time of the emotional pains, I felt being carried away over the air.

**-o-O-o- few hours later -o-O-o-**

I woke up inside the infirmary, my whole body aching. It was morning and the clock on the wall read 9:54 A.M.. Before I could sat up, the doors opened with Thalia and Grover.

"Oh gods Annabeth", the lieutenant of the Hunters hugged me, while Grover shed some tears in the background. "I thought you... you... have die."

"Here's some nectar", Grover offered me a full cup. "You need it."

After draining the whole thing, I looked at Grover, then at Thalia, "Is Percy in another room? Did he recovered yet?"

Their sadden looks only confirmed my worst fear. "No Annabeth", Thalia said. "Frank told us he transformed into an eagle and searched the water for both of you, but apparently Percy is nowhere to be found."

"I can't believed it", Grover began to eat at what look like to be report papers. "We'd been through so much, only to lose him..."

It's not until now that the full truth hit me. I'd been trying to hope this was a cruel joke everyone had done only for me, or one of those nightmares I occasionally found myself into. But no, this time it's reality.

I had lost Percy Jackson.

**-o-O-o- Present time, Camp Half-Blood -o-O-o-**

"Hey", my old friend Thalia called, sitting on the opposite side of the table. "So how's thing going?"

"Good", I said the word for the hundredth time. Saying "Great" and "Good as always" is like lying to myself.

"So... how 'bout the designing of Olympus?", she asked, taking a sip of her can of Coke.

"No, I quit", I said flatly.

"Wait, back up a little bit", Thalia said, making a 'pushing back' gesture. "You are like, the most architecture-obsessed child of Athena I'd ever known, and now... you said you quit?"

"Yeah, I didn't think I will have the heart to do it", I explained. After all, he was more than any architecture achievements I would ever receive.

"Oh well, you know, Annabeth", she said as she pulled a brochure from her pocket. "You will always be need."

I picked up the paper, and it was the same I'd put in my backpack a few years ago. The same brochure about being a Hunter. Back then I'd noticed how Percy looked at me during the time Artemis made Thalia her lieutenant, and I had a feeling he thought I will join the Hunter. He didn't know that because of him, I had chosen not to.

Now was the time to make that choice again. It seems to be perfect, Percy was no longer close to me, and so becoming a Hunter I could stay out of boys forever. But then, the camp need me, and I don't wanted Percy to see me joining the Hunter, an idea he disliked back then.

"I will keep that in mind", I said, taking the brochure. "But I don't think I would need that anytime soon. The camp need me."

"Well, at least you know you're not running out of choices", Thalia smiled, and together with her Coke, walked into the more crowded of the party.

That afternoon during our campfire, I sat down with everybody else even though I'm not even in the mood to. The Apollo campers led the sing-along, with songs about heroes coming back from the war and how bravery was the key to all. Once in a while they would looked at me, like they're trying not to mention Percy and hurt me or something.

At night, while everybody was going to their cabin, I walked toward Cabin 3. The door opened with a creaking sound, and the interior was empty like always. I had got into a habit of going to sleep here every summer. Chiron had saw me once, but he just trotted away in his centaur form. Knowing him for many years, he will understand my action.

I lay on the first bunk bed, the one I'd seen Percy slept in for so many times. Staring at the roof, I remembered back those memories we had, from the first day he came here, to the battle at Athens. Inside the cabin, the fresh ocean air and the color blue everywhere only made me sobbed. I admitted I will... cry... if I be in this cabin, but I can't hold myself against going here.

Turning my head over, I saw something sparkling on the table. Reaching to take it, I realized it was, in fact, a gold ring. Holding it closely, I can read the word carved on the ring: _Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl_. Thinking how he will never have the chance to give this to me, I examined the ring if there was anything else special. Surely, two words carved inside of the ring almost make me sobbed. _Together. Always._

I close my hand around the ring, more tears coming down my face. And so, with the calming air and the sound of waves hitting the shores, I felt asleep, wondering where will I ever see my Seaweed Brain again.

**-o-O-o-**

I opened my eyes and saw myself sitting on the shore of the camp's lake, my head on someone's shoulder. My vision was all black-and-white, which only make the surrounding more dark.

"Remember this place?", Percy asked as he stroke my hair. "We had our first real kiss..."

"And also where the hero's biggest birthday party was held", I blurted out, remembering the night we share the blue cupcake, except the fact that the other campers were eavesdropping.

_Wait, what?, _I suddenly thought. _Why am I with Percy? I thought he's... gone_.

_Maybe it's a dream_, a part of me said. _Maybe this is your last chance to see him_.

We sat in silent as the waves crashed gently at the shores, enjoying each other's presence. _If this is a dream_, I reasoned, _I must make it special and memorable_.

"You know, Athena has once told me my fatal flaw would cost the world", he said, staring at the horizon. "But at least I'd put it to good use instead."

"Percy, do you know the sacrifice is unnecessary?", I asked, then surprised that I had said it calmly. "None of us want to lose you."

"But again, you are more than anything to me", he said, looking down at me. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Opening my palm, I showed him the golden ring, "What about this? Is it supposed to be for something?"

"Yes", he took the ring, holding it in the moonlight. "After the war, I thought of giving this to you as a birthday gift*. Sorry I'm unable to give it to you in person."

"No, I'm very thankful for the ring", I said, feeling touched by his effort. At least I'd got the ring, my last souvenir of him.

"You know, maybe this is the last time we see each other", he said as he put the ring on my finger. "Let me give you something."

He took out Riptide, which is in pen form, from his jean's pocket. Percy uncapped it, and I thought it will turned into a bronze sword like always. But this time it is still a normal ballpoint pen.

He began to draw a trident on my left forearm. The art wasn't the best, but his effort worthed way more than that. "Now, here is something that would make you feel close to me."

We stay close to each other, my head on his shoulder and his arm around me, for a few moments, thinking of nothing but us. Percy stroke my hair again and for the first time in three years, I happily fell asleep.

**-o-O-o-**

"CAPTURE THE FLAG EVERYBODY!", Leo's voices was heard throughout the rows of cabins. "LET'S GET READY TO BRING THIS ON!"

I opened my eyes then turned myself to the clock on the wall, which read 8:32. The sunlight shone through the windows to the water fountain making a perfect rainbow for Iris Messaging.

Leo's voice was still audible in the distance, announcing the new Capture the Flag game between the campers and the Hunters. Except this time, Percy wasn't here to play.

Percy. The dream has been weird, as I felt asleep inside my dream. I hadn't been able to make out much details from his face because the dream was in black-and-white. Sadness washed over me since I couldn't see his face well enough, even for the last time.

Getting ready for the morning, I didn't realize the golden ring was on my finger on the right hand. _Maybe I had put it on through my sleep_, I decided. Then I remembered Percy putting it on my hand in the dream, and how it felt so real like he has _really_ been next to me. Slowly, I turned to look at my left forearm. And there it was, the piece of art Percy has drawn, right where I remembered.

A trident.

* * *

***I don't really know Annabeth's birthday, but let's assume it's after the war.**

**Check out the poll on my profile, please? I really need votes for it...**

**Again, reviews are encouraged! And thank you for reading this story!**

**Edited on Dec 27, 2013: It's not that often that I received a request for a continuation of my story, but since a someone asked me to, I will :) Btw, thank you for the review!**


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